Camiel Irving, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, is taking Kansas City’s poetry scene by storm. One of the new and hottest spoken word artists of Kansas City, Camiel, 23, is making it her mission to improve the urban community.

Camiel found her way to Kansas City through her job at 3M as a Medical Account Representative. She attended Xavier University in New Orleans, LA where she pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorortity, Inc in Spring 2006 and has upheld her commitment to the sisterhood. While residing in KC she remains actively involved with the urban community through community service and serving as a mentor to many young African American females. 

But by night, she uses her words to express herself and build awareness of the issues that affect urban core. Having been featured at the Blue Room and winning Poetry Slams at Harpers on 18th and Vine she has gained recognition as one of KC ’s great young spoken word artists.

“My inspiration for writing poems comes from the things I am passionate about in the world, such as the uplift of the Black community,” she said.

She hopes her words can help close some the gaps within the African American community. 

“Being raised in an urban area on the East Coast and being exposed to both ends of the spectrum of African Americans doing well and those that aren ’t, I want to direct my actions to close that gap,” said Camiel.

She believes everyone should have the right to be successful if they are just given the opportunity to succeed.

She began writing poetry at the age of 16. Her first poem ever written was about hometown of Baltimore. She performed her first poem at 17.

“The first poem I ever performed was about how proud I was of being a virgin,” she said.